A
Euro-skeptic bloc within the European Parliament has collapsed. A Latvian
member has pulled out of the group, breaching an EU rule that at least seven
countries must be represented in a parliamentary faction.
Deutsche Welle, 16 Oct 2014
The
euro-skeptic bloc formed after Europe's 28-nation election in May was dissolved
on Thursday. Iveta Grigula of Latvia departed, depriving the other 47
parliamentarians of funding and roles in committees.
The exit
also prompted European Parliament President Martin Schulz to postpone the
assembly's decision over this year's Sacharov human rights prize until Tuesday
next week. Nominees include Ukraine's pro-EU Maidan protestors.
Half of
ex-faction British
Half of the
euro-skeptic contingent had been from Britain's UK Independence Party (UKIP)
led by Nigel Farage, with 17 from the Italian anti-establishment 5-Star
movement led by satirist Beppe Grillo.
Farage
(pictured addressing parliament) and Grillo had headed the now defunct Europe
of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD). Grigule was the sole member
representing Latvia's Union of Greens and Farmers.
European
parliament spokesman Jaume Duch – in a message on social networks– said:
"Latvian MEP Iveta Grigula left EFDD group today. EFDD no long has members
from a least seven countries, so [it is] declared dissolved today."
The loss of
faction status relegates the ex-EFDD parliamentarians to simply sitting
alongside elected parliamentary members of France's far-right National Front
and forced to periods allocated for parliamentary speeches, unable to draw on
special parliamentary funds and having lost certain rights.
Center-right
EPP celebrates
There was a
celebratory response from the main center right European People's Party (EPP)
faction in the parliament, which alternates its sittings between Brussels and
Strasbourg.
"First
defeat for euro-skeptics!," the EPP responded in a follow-on message.
Cameron
facing challenge
Ahead of a
by-election next month in the English town of Rochester, British Prime Minister
David Cameron said on Thursday London should have "one last go" at
trying to renegotiate Britain's EU membership.
Cameron's
Conservative party is facing a neck and neck challenge in Rochester from a
candidate of UKIP, Mark Reckless -- ahead of a decisive British parliamentary
election in May.
Reckless is
the second of two Conservatives in the British parliament to defect to UKIP
since August.
In a
by-election earlier this month in another area, Clacton, the other
Conservative, Douglas Carswell, became UKIP's first elected member of the British parliament.
ipj/es (AFP, Reuters, dpa)
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